Mortgage bank lending increased by 1.4% in 2021. Loan growth was supported by low bond yields and high property prices. Long-term mortgage rates increased in 2021, widening the gap between long-term and short-term interest rates. This may have led some of the borrowers to opt for variable interest rates and deferred amortisation in order to obtain a lower yield. The share of variable rate new loans and interest-only new loans increased from 32% and 41%, respectively, in 2020 to 47% and 51% in 2021.